Early College Navigator

City Colleges of Chicago’s vision is to be recognized as the city’s most accessible higher education engine of socioeconomic mobility and racial equity – empowering all Chicagoans to take part in building a stronger and more just city.  The community college system’s more than 3,500 faculty and staff serve more than 60,000 students annually at seven colleges and five satellite sites.

City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) provides Early College opportunities to thousands of Chicago Public Schools students, where students can take free college courses through the City Colleges of Chicago, while still in high school.   Early College is offered via several formats, including Dual Credit—colleges courses offered at local high schools, or Dual Enrollment—high school students come to City Colleges of Chicago and enroll in courses on campus or virtually.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor or Early College or Manager-Early College Pathways, the Early College Navigator works with Chicago Public Schools’ (CPS) students and families to inform them about the opportunities through Early College and helps students through the enrollment processes.  Early College Navigators work closely with City Colleges of Chicago Early College teams as well as CPS counselors and Early College support personnel.

Positions acts as liaisons between CPS and CCC, working collaboratively with CPS networks and counselors and Early College staff to:

·       provide students and families with in-depth information about CCC’s Model Pathway and Early College programs across its seven campuses, including degree, career and technical education, and certificate programs;

·       assist students and families in both middle and high schools to make informed decisions about their child’s educational and life goals, helping them select pathways aligned to their academic goals and career interests;

·       support students in navigating each stage of the Early College application and enrollment process, connecting students and helping them engage with institutional resources

Early College Navigators must travel on a regular basis to high schools, attend CPS early college team meetings, and CCC early college team meetings to stay fully aware of updates.  Performs related duties as required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

·       Serves as information leads for CPS students and families on Early College programs and pathways, and for CPS early college teams including College and Career Specialists and counselors. This includes specialized knowledge on CCC Model Pathways and other CCC initiatives such as the Chicago Roadmap, transitional coursework, STAR and Career Launch, and all processes related to early college registration.

·       Provides presentations and workshops to students and families in middle schools and high schools on Early College programs and pathways, and helps students and families select pathways that align with their interests.

·       Ensures all Early College students and families understand the benefits and potential risks of Early College and serves as point of contact for students and families on matters related to Early College.

·       Works with and assists students and families in carrying out steps needed to enroll in Early College at CCC, including completing placement testing and all steps in the Early College application process.  

·       Troubleshoots issues related to admissions applications and placement testing and helps students meet deadlines and overcome enrollment barriers.

·       Serves as a liaison between college and high school staff to support academic success of Early College students.

·       Plans campus visits by high school students to CCC colleges, coordinating logistics and in-depth meetings with faculty and college staff on special programs based on students’ interests.

·       Provides a range of services and resources to encourage and guide students in exploring the variety of available occupational, career and educational paths and to define their career and education goals.

·       Implements plans to increase students’ and families’ awareness of CCC’s Model Pathways to degree completion and other program offerings; careers that are associated with each pathway; and relevant employment data to help students and families make informed decisions in line with their student’s career and life goals.

·       Supports Early College students interested in matriculating to City Colleges of Chicago by connecting students with Postsecondary Education Navigator and ensuring seamless transition.

·       Prepares reports weekly on interactions with students and families.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports To                       Associate Vice Chancellor-Early College or Manager-Early College Pathways

Direct Reports                 None

QUALIFICATIONS

·       A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Master’s degree preferred.

·       Three years of work experience in student services, preferably at a community college, or in a secondary education setting.

·       Experience working with high school-aged students and their families preferred.

·       Bilingual abilities are a plus.

·       Must be able to travel frequently to CPS high schools and CCC campuses. 

·       Must be able to work some evenings and weekends.

·       Passion for supporting students, especially first-generation college goers in pursuit of their goals.

·       Demonstrates attention to detail, initiative, dependability, and commitment to customer service.

·       Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills.

·       Strong presentation skills.

·       Strong administrative and organizational skills.

·       Knowledge of best practices in college and career exploration.

·       Knowledge of labor market data analysis for relevant career programs.

·       Experience using student and cohort level data in decision making.

·       Ability to apply problem-solving and time management skills to plan and prioritize project-oriented tasks and meet deadlines.

·       Ability to work independently and manage time effectively.

·       Ability to work in a culturally diverse environment.

·       Moderate proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook).

WE OFFER: Excellent health and welfare benefit package and long-term savings and investment programs including 403(b) & 457(b) Investment Plans and a pension plan with the State University Retirement System (SURS) Plan. Generous vacation, holiday, personal and sick days, and tuition reimbursement. For a more detailed overview of benefits, please visit the benefits page of our website.

We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Chicago residency is required for all full-time employees within 6 months of hire.

Thank you for your interest in CCC!